How we used Python to try and save lives
Google Crisis Response saved lives and tried to make the world better. And all of it was in Python.
At one point before Google switched to suck, they let a bunch of us try to save the world. And mapvisage, person finder, crisismap? All in Python (ok there was some JavaScript and even Flash involved). Having your Python on Appengine site embedded on the front page of pretty much every news site on earth? Quite a lot to cope with.
After another time I had to stop building a coffee table to run upstairs to task satellites. As you do on a weekend, get home from IKEA, start assembling and go oops need ask people to point their flying space robot cameras at this bit of the world. Normal weekend.
And I will eventually finish my book.
Anthony has been using Python since the dark ages of Python 0.9.2. Guido tricked him into being the release manager for Python for a number of years, during that time he convinced vendors to trust us. PEP 6 and so forth.
He's gone from working at Google to working for a union. Always gotta try and save the world. Or try, anyway.